What I Wore | Sparkly Tie (& Shoe #2) March 30, 2010
Posted by Lauren Cooke in What I Wore.Tags: daily outfits, Fashion, outfit shot, photographs, What I wore
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Daily Outfit Shot
Jeans: Topshop
Boots: Unknown – shoe no. 2 I have actually photographed!
Shirt: M&S
Tie: Topman
Semi-Daily eBay | Nicholas Kirkwood Black Heels March 30, 2010
Posted by Lauren Cooke in Fashion, Semi-Daily eBay.Tags: daily ebay, Fashion, Heels, nicholas kirkwood, Semi-Daily eBay, Shoes
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Nicholas Kirkwood Heels
Weekend In The Big Smoke March 29, 2010
Posted by Lauren Cooke in Family, Life, Chatter & Politics, What I Wore.Tags: harrods, London, outfit shot, Shopping, the west end, What I wore
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Whew. What a weekend. I want to share it, yet at the same time I don’t have the faintest clue where to start. It was, you see, a weekend filled with fun, frolics, and frivolity - with a hefty spoonful of decadence thrown in for good measure.
My mother and I headed down to London on Friday. Upon arrival at our cheap budget hotel, the Majestic, we were told that there was a problem. They were very enigmatic, avoiding any questions, and for a while we wondered if they simply hadn’t booked us a room. Our worries were proved to be slightly paranoid, however, as we were soon carted of by taxi to a much swisher hotel, where we were soon settled into a neat tidy room and counting our lucky stars that us scruffy buggers had essentially been upgraded!
The first day was spent perusing the Place In The Sun show at Earls Court, with awkward little me desperately trying to persuade my mother to buy expensive and impractical renovation projects abroad! Needless to say she didn’t cave, but I believe fun was had nonetheless. After that we smartened ourselves up, as we had a posh meal to go to in London. Suffice to say that the meal was wonderful, but I can’t tell you any more as I will be reviewing it for LastMinute.com as soon as I can!
After a luxury meal, and a stroll around late night Kensington, came Saturday. First we headed to Harvey Nichols so that I could drool over the Louboutins that, quite frankly, are beautiful enough to die for. Oh, and for my mum to dream of wearing some of the stunning Alexander McQueen pieces – the more off-the-wall the better! Other than the workmanship, however, most of the very expensive clothes seemed somewhat ridiculous, and the exceptions were few and far between.
Carre Chocolat
(Image from here)
Then came tea and a delicious cake at the Ladurée cafe in Harrods. This was an overdue mothers day present, and had I been allowed to take pictures I would have snapped you one of the frankly sublime cuisine. I’m talking about a tiny square of mouth-watering chocolate cake, and a gorgeous raspberry studded tart – along with a delicately scented and complex tea, and a hot chocolate so thick and decadent it was more dessert than drink!
Priscilla Queen of the Desert
After shopping til we dropped (I bought such a pretty Fever dress!) we headed back into town for the biggest treat of the weekend – going to the theatre! We were seeing the beautifully camp and hilarious Priscilla Queen of the Desert – and what a phenomenal show it was too. I had seen the film, and the musical was different – but just as enjoyable. We laughed raucously at the terrible innuendo, and even bopped along wildly to the great music choices. And I can safely say that it is the first time I have seen a man in a thong right in front of me!
For the meal I wore:
What I wore
Black Jumpsuit: ASOS.com
Blues heels: Faith
Losing the vibe March 25, 2010
Posted by Lauren Cooke in Blogs, Inspiration.Tags: blog love, cooking blogs, Fashion blogs, Reading
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Where on earth has my vibe gone this week. I have been remarkably absent from blogging, twitter, and all things social media – it is quite a crisis! I doubt anyone will survive if I am not arround to jabber and wax lyrical… except, oh, wait, you have all survived haven’t you? Well done, it must have been hard.
Anyway, sarcasm aside, this week has been very busy. I have been to London to talk about social media (an inspiring meeting for once, with intelligent people who have some really good ideas for how to use social media to sell cars), writing like a dervish (do dervishes write?), and coming home in the evenings to play with the new rat and the new laptop. It hasn’t been that I don’t particularly have time to write, but more that I haven’t had time to think and so haven’t had anything interesting to write on the blog.
Anyway, as I am not all that verbose or, to be brutally honest, interesting today, I thought I would share with you some of the bloggers I have discovered recently and fallen head-over-heels in love with!
- Daddy Likey – I read her book before I read her blog, as a quick glance at the blurb made me know instantly that the book would be a perfect present for Cie! She often has me in stitches, has just started a vintage boutique as a form of cruel temptation, and has exactly the same kinds of mornings as me when she simply hates her clothes!
- The Clothes Horse – I have come across this blog before, but always at periods in my life when my day feel full of hundreds and hundreds of blogs. The most recent time, however, I was looking for some new material – and she is now on my Google reader! Her new dress is particularly worth a look!
- The Pioneer Woman - she doesn’t write about fashion, but this blog is an endless source of food inspiration and beautiful photography. She also shares how to achieve the photographs too, which is great! I currently desperately want to make the coffee toffee bars – I just need to find time!
Anyway, go – read – enjoy!
Fabulous Website – Upper Street March 22, 2010
Posted by Lauren Cooke in Fashion, Inspiration.Tags: Fashion, fashion design, Heels, Shoes
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A colleague at work pointed out this website to me the other day – and I am completely and utterly bowled over. The idea of Upper Street is that it is a shoe website with a difference – and that difference is that you design the shoes. From the shape to the extras and even the colours, you can put together your ideal shoe!
I had some fun earlier putting a few different ideas together, and then talking myself out of buying them. After all, you have to pay for the privilege of designing them – and that is a cost of £195!
My shoes are below. The ones I really want are the white black and red ones – but I decided to put the blue ones together to give you another example! It is such fun!
Basse Mode – Get Involved March 22, 2010
Posted by Lauren Cooke in Fashion.Tags: basse mode, Fashion, low fashion, magazine
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I know I have mentioned Basse Mode to y’all before, but I thought I would fill you in on the progress.
Basse Mode
For those of you whom have missed me jabbering on about this, it is a magazine that I am setting up with two blogging friends, Emma & Fi. The aim is to create something in addition to the existing high fashion magazines – something featuring normal everyday women and free of airbrushing. It is a wonderful idea, and so far over 100 of you have volunteered to be involved in its creation. Lots of you have blogged and Tweeted about it too, which is astounding!
We are doing so well!
If you want to be involved in a low fashion revolution, nip on over to the blog!
Make me a… 1960′s Mod Gal March 21, 2010
Posted by Lauren Cooke in Vintage.Tags: 1960's fashion, 60's fashion, Fashion, how to, mary quant, mod fashion, twiggy, vintage fashion
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Long overdue, this is the fifth in my series helping modern girls to wear the fashions of their ancestors. This week I address the wonderful vintage fashion of the stunning 1960′s. Oh, and of Twiggy. This post will contain clothes (both vintage, vintage inspired and direct repro), makeup and more, to help you achieve that distinctly vintage fashion style!
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This week I tackle the swinging sixties, a time of hippy revolution, the invention of mini-skirts, and a whole new kind of fashion. Oh, and of Twiggy, a modelling icon!
Following the popular curves of the 1950′s, the 60′s couldn’t have been more different. Womanly shapes and thrusting bosoms were replaced with a fondness for a boyish figure and almost childlike shape. Of course, the 60′s were also a time full of choice, experimentation and changing societal values, meaning that whilst the boyish world of mod mini dresses and crinoline shifts was in full swing for many teenagers, the other half were experiencing the decade of love, and the hippy floral prints and psychedelic patterns that came with it. Whilst one didn’t exist independently of the other, the division and contrast is an interesting part of the era.
Although the sixties can be harder to pull off with a curvy shape, you will find that a little experimentation with the styles of prints, lengths of dresses and use of belts/jackets can make anyone of any size able to wear the Mod look.
For girls with boyish figures, you could opt for a dress like this one, with a pattern that emphasises rather than downplays your curves. You could even team a mod dress like this with skinny jeans or, god forbid, leggings, if you want to update the 60′s fashion with a more modern (and more concealing) vibe.
B&W Vintage Style Mod Dress - 60's Fashion
Curvy girls should choose a mod dress with a little kick out from the waste, and preferably with slightly bell sleeves, like this gorgeous 1960s chevron mini dress. Alternatively, if you are worried about the expanse of stretchy fabric, you could choose a buttoned up mini dress like the adorable and versatile one below.
Striped Chevron Mod Dress - 1960s Fashion
Button-Up 60's Dress
To really channel the 60′s feeling, you need bright tights. Lots of leg is a must with those mini skirts climbing so high, and this explains the love for brightly coloured tights and stockings. Whilst you can still get original Mary Quant tights on eBay and similar (I have the most adorable yellow pair with little black bows all over), shops all over stock pretty tights too nowadays, in all shapes colors and sizes. If you worry about tights, thicker leggings can work well too.
Topshop 1960's Fashion Inspired Heart Tights
Team these tights with a beautiful pair of shoes. Bright Mary Jane heels are the dish of the day, although this is one occasion where I wouldn’t recommend buying the original. It is a matter of personal taste, but I find modern versions much nicer and more comfortable. Alternatively, you could wear one of the most famous fashion statements of the decade – Go Go boots. The gorgeous things are great fun, and are a fun investment. Either style of shoe will do fine, however – either heels like these beautiful yellow Mary Janes or sexy white leather boots!
1960s Fashion White Go Go Boots
Yellow Mary Janes
Once you have the clothing right, you can start to have fun with your hair, makeup and accessories. After all, this is the era of the beehive, and that means big hair is definitely in! A video for how to do a beehive is here, as I wouldn’t know where to begin! If you don’t want to go that far, however, then you can channel a modern version of the Twiggy look with a cropped bob, and big kohl rimmed eyes. It is a look that has never gone out of fashion, and one that you can have real fun with! Alternatively, add a bit of a hippy feeling with long straight or wavy hair, and maybe a cute heart gem near your eye.
Twiggy
Hippy Makeup
Enjoy the 60s look!
The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo – A Review March 19, 2010
Posted by Lauren Cooke in Books.Tags: book, crime fiction, fiction, review, the girl with the dragon tattoo
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What A Book!
I promised a review, and who am I to not deliver on my promises?
I have been avoiding reading my book club book, and as such I decided to read one of the books I bought on an impulse at Waterstones the other week. It was one of those trips when I had found two books I really wanted to read in the glorious three for two, and I really wanted to read in the glorious three for two, and the third purchase was chosen purely on the basis of the cover and the title.
I didn’t even know it was crime fiction until I got around to reading the blurb, and I was a bit disappointed as normally that is a genre I simply don’t enjoy.Then I got started, and despite a slow first couple of chapters I suddenly found myself addicted. I read the entire novel in a day, and it was good enough to make me stay up until 4 in the morning – and now that I am not as young as I once was, that is quite a feat!
So, what is the book about? I am keen not to give any spoilers, but it is essentially a story of a journalist, employed to investigate a murder/kidnapping case that hasn’t ever been solved. Through a series of events he ends up in an isolated area of Sweden, with an immensely talented and deeply troubled young private investigator. The case, seemingly unsolvable, soon starts to take a violent turn, one which culminates by the end of the book in a thoroughly dramatic and exciting ending.
Despite the crime subject, I was immediately absorbed in this. The story is intriguing and disturbing, and is supported by a range of deeply understood characters. Someone online described it as “high-definition”, and this certainly rings true – the cast are painted with startling detail, the environment becomes so incredibly real – and more so with every page you turn.
I was totally invested by the end (as evidenced by my inability to put it down), and I am dying to read the next two in the trilogy – and I am quite intrigued to see how such a complicated tale will be turned into a book.
What I Wore | The Princess Vibe (& Shoe #1) March 18, 2010
Posted by Lauren Cooke in Makeup/Cosmetics, What I Wore.Tags: cosmetics, daily outfits, Fashion, laura ashley, lipstick, makeup, outfit shots, What I wore
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Look! It is light enough to take an outfit shot outside when I get home from work! This means spring is finally on its way, and I really couldn’t be happier about that. You do have to excuse the blustery look, however – the wind was playing havoc with my skirt and the camera decided I needed a flash! I also think I probably ought not to wear my hair up like this, it makes my neck look odd.
I felt like a princess all day in this dress and skirt combo. The summery Laura Ashley dress rarely gets worn, but with the lace layers underneath it actually looked pretty cool!
What I Wore: Floral Dress
Dress: Laura Ashley
Skirt: Thrifted
Belt: Brand Unknown
Heels: The first pair worn in the Shoe Challenge – Topshop pink wedges.
I also thought I would share my lipstick from last weekend with you, and I was really pleased with how it worked. I lined my lips with simple lip liner, layered a simple warm red onto my lips, and then patted on an orange powder. I thought it looked quite funky.
Orange Lipstick
Do you like it?
My Shoe Collection | Only 70 Pairs! March 17, 2010
Posted by Lauren Cooke in Fashion.Tags: Fashion, Heels, shoe collection, Shoes
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I just sat down and took a photograph of each and every pair of my shoes, with the exception of trainers and ballet pumps. In total, exceptions included, I only actually had 70 pairs of shoes, which is far far better than I thought! Read on to see all my pretty pretty heels and boots. From now on I will be taking part in Amber’s challenge, and attempting to wear ach and every pair (including any new pairs!) before the year is out.
Shoes are probably my favourite items of clothing, along with dresses. I own far too many of both!
What have I learnt from this? That I have a propensity for Topshop heels (I may not like their clothes, but I LOVE their shoes!), and Irregular Choice. And also that I don’t have as many as I thought, and so probably can add some more to the collection!
So… here we go!
Boots: Emilio Pucci, TK Maxx
